February 19, 1938 – March 10, 2026
Brian Stone, aged 88, passed away on March 10, 2026 in Saint John, NB, leaving behind a lifetime of stories, laughter, and a yard noticeably cleaner of sticks and leaves.
Born in Shipley, Yorkshire, England, Brian quickly discovered two of his greatest talents: talking to people and selling things to them. This led to a successful career in sales management with Heinz, Brooke Bond, and CFIB, where he collected awards almost as enthusiastically as he collected golf balls from the rough.
Brian is survived by his wife Valerie of 63 years, who deserves some kind of medal for putting up with him that long. He also leaves behind his son, Mark (Nicole); daughter, Tina (Kevin); grandchildren, Jared (Georgia) and Ben (Morgan); and great-grandson, Bertie, who will undoubtedly hear a few legendary great grandad stories over the years.
He also leaves behind the family’s beloved granddogs: Coolio, Fish, Hooper, and Trout — all of whom ranked very highly in Brian’s personal hierarchy.
A lifelong animal lover, Brian founded Pets Needing Vets, proving that his soft spot for animals was only slightly smaller than his soft spot for a good cup of tea. Brian volunteered with the Salvation Army kettle drive and proudly helped with the annual Poppy Drive as a veteran. He was also an avid sports fan who could watch just about anything involving a ball, punch or scoreboard, especially if it was followed by a round of golf.
Music was another passion, and nothing quite matched Brian’s love for Pink Floyd. His favourite song was Comfortably Numb, which many suspected described how he felt after Sunday lunch and a good nap.
In his later years, Brian could often be found roaming his yard for hours, faithfully picking up sticks and leaves. Some called it yard work; Brian called it “keeping busy.” The squirrels likely called it “very inconvenient.”
Arrangements are under the care and direction of Brenan’s Funeral Home, 111 Paradise Row, Saint John, NB (506-634-7424).
A celebration of Brian’s life will be held Sunday, March 15 from 1–4 p.m., where stories will be shared, laughs will be had, and Brian would strongly encourage everyone to have a proper cup of tea.
For those who wish, donations may be made to Red Head Strays Helping Stray Cats Strut in lieu of flowers.
And if Brian were writing the final line himself, it would probably be:
“Bloody hell… what a ride.”
